Export of rice from Burma to Thailand has become a lucrative business. This is because price of rice has gone up in Thailand where as it is cheaper in Burma .
 
"At least 300 more sacks (1 sack = 60 Kg) of rice are being exported every day to Thailand illegally," a Burmese rice trader said. The illegal export started since the middle of March. The demand for Burmese rice is going up in Thailand .
 
Thousands of sacks of rice have already been exported in a month and there are thousands of sacks of rice stored in godowns of businessmen in Burma .
 
Because of the demand of rice in the neighbouring country the price has escalated, according to a customer. Currently the price of Kaugh Kyi rice is nearly 900 Baht per sack while it was 700 Baht in March. The local consumer is concerned because the price is increasing at home as well because of the demand in Thailand .
 
Although the Three Pagoda Pass border point is officially closed by the Burmese military regime for more than a year, trading is done on an understanding. The goods from both country flow in crossways since the border closure which paved the way for rice export.
 
According to rice traders they pay 5 Baht per sack to local Burmese authorities for allowing them to pass the crossway. A majority of the rice available in Three Pagoda Pass are brought from Thanpyuzayardt and Mudon Township , Mon state.
 
The rice is carried by four-wheeled cars to reach Thai territory and a majority of the rice is distributed in Sanghklaburi, Thonpaphoon and some other parts of Kanchanburi province.
According to traders, before they sold Burmese rice to Mon and Karen communities in the province and they said Thai people are also relying on Burma rice given the current crisis.
 
Only a section of Mon and Karen communities used to buy Burmese rice before and now a majority are buyers of Burma rice because the world's largest rice exporter is facing shortage.